Editor, As reported in your newspaper, the Laguna Beach City Council recently voted for a new “Village Entrance” plan that will add a park and 200 parking places at a cost of $30-50 million (probably closer to the latter). Déjà vu. Didn’t we form a committee to create a plan...

Editor, Maybe it’s because we both had civics class with Mr. Simpson years ago at Laguna Beach High School, I agree with Kelly Boyd that the citizens of Laguna Beach have the right to vote on such an important issue as the village entrance. If we don’t have City...

Resident Jim Rue’s commentary on the village entrance: Pierre Arman’s largest work, “Long Term Parking (1982)”, was a concrete tower of 60 cars, 65 feet high, standing in front of a suburban parking lot in Paris.

Editor: I do not understand the bitter and undeserving comments regarding the village entrance project financing recently approved by City Council. I believe this is another key step in the history of Laguna Beach that will be looked at by future generations as a step in the...

Editor, The June 11 Council meeting had all the appearance of an honest public forum, but as the meeting progressed it took the shape of a backroom deal that was already made. Kind of like playing poker when the hand that’s dealt is fixed. And as you may know about poker hands,...

Editor, I am a proponent of a village entrance. My suggested model is a classic signage icon, used by television and film to identify southern California to the world. Examples of such icons are the signage at Malibu Pier and Santa Monica Pier, ubiquitous in movies and TV as...

Editor, The city council mentioned finding a “location for a skate park that made sense”. Not sure if we should throw $40 to $60 million into a parking facility that for 42 weeks out of the year will be enjoyed by Laguna’s skateboarding community? Thomas...

Editor, This morning, I took my regular morning hike out on the Westridge Trail. I was shocked to discover that all four bulletin boards along that particular trail were gone. All that is left at the four sites is some churned up dirt. At least three of those structures have been...

Editor: I want to thank you on behalf of the Laguna Beach Woman’s Club and the Laguna Beach Branch of the American Association of University Women for putting Susan Velasquez’s “Wisdom Workout” column on the Woman of the Year celebration in the June 14 LB...

Editor, It is great that the City Council and their appointed view committee is at long last taking saving Laguna’s unique and beautiful view sheds seriously. However, a cursory review of the proposed View Preservation Restoration Ordinance discloses that a vast amount of...

“Nobody and I mean nobody comes into our house and pushes us around. Play like a champion!” –Skipper quoting Knute Rockne at the 2013 Laguna Beach High School graduation ceremony. High school graduation is a time of high expectations. Last Thursday I sat with many other...

By Arnie Silverman As we celebrate Independence Day, national focus for those who seriously contemplate the holiday will be on the Founding Fathers – Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, John Adams, Madison, Hamilton, etc. For me, however, there should an additional name; one that...

By Christine Carpenter, Special to the Independent What does graduation mean, and where do we go from here? This seemed to be a question on many minds last week while the Laguna Beach High School class of 2013 took the stage after pouring into the Irvine Bowl, filling it...